This guide is for students In the EENG-489 design capstone project. It includes databases, research tips, and other resources to finalize your capstone project.
"Inventors are encouraged to search the USPTO’s patent database to see if a patent has already been filed or granted that is similar to your patent. Patents may be searched in the USPTO Patent Full-Text and Image Database (PatFT). The USPTO houses full text for patents issued from 1976 to the present and TIFF images for all patents from 1790 to the present."
"Search for Full-Text and Image versions of patent applications. Customize searches on all fields of a patent application in the AppFT for Full-Text searches."
"To see if your idea has been patented abroad, you’ll want to refer to searchable databases made available from other International Intellectual Property offices."
"Google Patents covers the entire collection of granted patents and published patent applications from the USPTO and the EPO. US patent documents date back to 1790, EPO to 1978. All documents available through Google Patents originate from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the European Patent Office (EPO)."
Why Search for Patents
Part of the MIT Libraries video tutorial series. Learn about what a patent is and why patents can be important to your research.
